


Bad Luck Rose

by A_Lovestruck_A2



Category: RWBY
Genre: Character Death, Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, Dante!Ozpin, Drinking, Eventual Sex, F/M, Follows canon a bit, Ozpin lives!, Plenty of violence, Slow Burn, Some QrowWin
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-14
Updated: 2020-08-19
Packaged: 2021-02-26 05:01:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,477
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21787930
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/A_Lovestruck_A2/pseuds/A_Lovestruck_A2
Summary: Qrow let out a frustrated sigh as he picked up his glass, swirling the liquid within. "Dammit. Why does it have to be you?" She leaned her head against his shoulder, looking at him with teary eyes. "Because…I love you."
Relationships: Qrow Branwen/Ruby Rose
Comments: 5
Kudos: 37





	1. Chapter 1

Qrow leaned casually against the doorframe of Team RWBY's dorm, an amused smirk on his face as he watched both of his nieces play their fighting game on their scrolls. "Don't you have fights to get ready for?" _'Heh…looks like I trained her well. You'd be really proud of your daughter if you were here, Summer. She's grown during her time here.'_  
  
"Uncle Qrow!" Ruby turned around, her big silver eyes sparkling with happiness as her favorite uncle slicked his messy hair back. "I thought you were busy getting in trouble with Professor Ozpin for tearing up our courtyard."  
  
Qrow laughed, walking over to his nieces and sitting on one of the four precariously made bunk beds. "Nah, Oz and I go way back. We're cool." _'Bunk beds, huh? Good times, Summer. Good times. It's a pity Taiyang and Raven had to ruin them by being rowdy.'_  
  
Yang let out a snort, her character punching Ruby's in the face. "You mean you're pretty cool for an old guy." The blonde was just as bad as her father when it came to giving the huntsman jabs about his age, and the red-eyed man gave her an unamused stare as Ruby giggled at her older sister's comment.  
  
"Not funny. I'm probably one of the most popular guys to ever graduate this place." _'Spitting image of you, Tai. You utter pain,'_ he thought dryly.  
  
"Um…Uncle Qrow? Is it true that you once…you know, wore a skirt because you thought it was a kilt?" the silver-eyed girl asked. Her cheeks were red with embarrassment, and Qrow let out a sigh, rubbing his temples.  
  
Looked like he couldn't hide that one. "Great. Taiyang told you that story, didn't he? I think I need to have a little chat with him next time I see him." _'At least the ladies thought I had nice legs. Gotta take something out of it.'  
_  
"Yep! And he said that the girls were all admiring your lower body's muscle structure. Whatever that means," Ruby replied with a hint of confusion in her tone.  
  
Yang covered her mouth, trying hard to cover up her laughter, and Qrow rolled his red eyes. "That's a story for when you're a bit older, kiddo…" _'It's bad enough that you want me to give the 'birds and the bees' talk to her. But now you're starting to tell her our team's stories? Gimme a break, Tai.'_  
  
The door to Team RWBY's dorm opened again, and the other two members of his nieces' team entered. Weiss gave him a dirty look, and the dark-haired girl next to her picked up a book and started to read silently. "Alright old man, spit it out. Just how do you know my sister!?"  
  
Qrow smirked, and he waited for Yang to place her hands over Ruby's ears despite small noises of protest before he started to tell the very entertaining and borderline scandalous story of how he and Winter met to the heiress. "Well you see, I happened to be on a mission in the swamps outside of Mistral. I stumbled upon this dodgy little town, and I decided to get some local information in the inn; the place was filled with lowlifes, thieves, and even a few assassins. That's when it all happened." _'Heh heh…she sure as hell isn't going to like this one. Still, it's too much fun to poke at Winter.'_  
  
"What, did you get defeated by the sight of the innkeeper's skirt length because you're a perverted dusty crow?" Blake muttered, her cat ears twitching under her bow.

She had placed a bookmark in her book and placed it down, folding her arms across her chest, and the huntsman gave her an annoyed stare. "While I was there, I saw this tall pale woman sitting all alone. So, being a gentleman, I decided to sit down next to her. After talking for a little bit and finding out she was Winter Schnee, we had a little…contest, of sorts." _'Good thing Ruby can't hear this part. Don't want her mentally scarred yet.'_  
  
Weiss's already pale face went even whiter, and she swallowed slowly before leaning closer to him. "What exactly do you mean by, 'contest'? What did you do to my sister!?" She was starting to breathe furiously, and Yang simply looked amused by the story so far. She even mouthed for him to continue, as her younger sister was busy petting Zwei's ears and not paying any sort of attention. _Keep going! This is hilarious!"_  
  
Qrow gave her a wink, their universal sign for a real raunchy part of a story to make its inevitable appearance. Yang had heard over a dozen inappropriate stories regarding her uncle and his team, and had seemingly enjoyed every single one of them. _Don't worry. It's coming up right now_. "We decided to have a bit of a drinking game. And then…well, Winter and I ended up in the same bed."  
  
Yang fell on the floor, holding her side and tearing up from laughter. "O-oh my! You slept with Weiss's sister!"  
  
As the blonde rolled around on the floor, hitting Blake in the legs, Weiss and Ruby leapt to their feet, one mouth agape in shock and the other contorted in fury. "YOU WHAT!?"  
  
"Why didn't you stay together?" Blake asked quietly, the emo cat Faunus whacking her partner on the head with a book. "Didn't like the cold?"

Qrow smirked as he leaned back, folding his arms above his head. "Yeah, you could say something like that. Let's just say ice and bedroom activity don't exactly mix." _'Sheesh, Winter nearly gave me frostbite a few times. I thought no amount of hot showers would get me back up.'_  
  
"You are so dead, you dirty old man," the heiress growled.  
  
Ruby's eyes were wide, and she sank to her knees, burying her head in her hands. "Yang! Why did you let me hear that!? That's so gross!" She tucked her knees close to her and started to rock back and forth, her face redder than her cape.

The black/red haired girl mumbled something under her breath, and Blake's cat ears flattened under her bow. "…" Ruby looked away guiltily, and Qrow's curiosity perked a little. It was no secret that his youngest niece was by far the most innocent member of the team, and judging by the looks that Weiss and Yang were giving Blake, she probably heard something she wasn't supposed to. _'Looks like Rubes said something she didn't want anyone to hear. But being part cat means you have excellent hearing.'_

He stood up, stretching his arms and legs. "Alright…I'm too old to be hanging out with a bunch of kids. You're gonna cramp my style." _'I won't ask her about it now. That'll be something to ask her later on, when she's not going to be surrounded by her own friends and beyond embarrassed.'_ The huntsman turned to leave when he stopped, looking at the four girls. "Look…just remember that you've all got ways to go. And don't think graduating means you're done. Every day in the field is worth a week in this place. You will all go far, but only if you never stop learning. If you never stop growing. I'll catch you kids later." _'It's about time for me to talk to Oz about the candidate for the Fall Maiden's power, anyway.'_

_'And I have a sneaking suspicion I know who it is, too.'_

* * *

Ruby watched as Qrow left, and she let out a sigh, looking down at the floor. _'It's just wrong. So wrong.'_ She shuffled her feet, trying to block out the sounds of her teammates talking about the upcoming fights in the Vytal Festival. _'Why? Why him? Of all the people to feel this way towards…why does it have to be him?'_

The short-haired girl placed herself on her bed, and hung her head in shame. She tried more than once to completely banish those feelings his mere presence invoked. But, even though her mind tried to install a serious amount of common sense within her, her heart continued to refuse to listen to reason. _'He's my own uncle, for goodness' sake. I…I shouldn't have this kind of feelings towards him.'_

She felt a hand on her knee, and she jumped out of her skin. "W-what!?" Ruby relaxed when she found herself staring into a pair of familiar amber eyes, and the black bow covering her cat ears. "Oh…you nearly gave me a heart attack!"

"Yang and Weiss just went down to train for a bit before their match tomorrow," Blake murmured. She looked into Ruby's silver orbs, a concerned look on her face. "Ruby...I heard what you said. I just didn't want to say anything with them around. You're…you're in love with your uncle, aren't you?"

Ruby sunk her head in her hands, her eyes threatening to burst. "I-I don't know why! It's just…he's always there for me. I know it's wrong, but I can't help it!" She tried to cover her approaching sobs, her shoulders shaking. "It's not fair…why does it have to be him!? Why does the one person I feel like this towards have to be my own uncle!?" _'He's like my dad! It's just disgusting in so many ways!'_

Blake put her hand on her shoulder, allowing her leader to rest her head in her lap. "Sometimes…it just happens. I thought it was wrong to like Yang the way I do at first. But after what happened to me in the White Fang…I realized I could never trust another guy again."  
  
"What happened?" Ruby asked.

Blake very rarely brought up anything about her time in White Fang, and the cat Faunus lowered her tearful gaze. "I…I was used. By my old partner, Adam. I thought he actually cared about me. But I was nothing more than his plaything…that was a huge part of why I left. I couldn't stay around someone who defiled me…"  
  
She wiped her eyes, biting her lip. "That's why I didn't go to the dance with Sun. I was so shaken by what happened to me. But Yang makes me feel wanted. She makes me feel happier than I ever have been. Yang loves me despite of what happened; she loves me for who I am, even though she knows that I may never recover from my past."

Ruby sat up, giving her teammate a hug, and Blake ran a hand down her back to comfort her. "My advice is to think about it carefully. Are you absolutely sure that you love Qrow more than anything else and it's not puberty messing with your head? If you are…then I say you tell him. He won't hurt you; he may be a bit of a drunken idiot who slept with Weiss's sister, but I can see just how much he cares for you."

Ruby nodded, wiping her face. "Right…I can't believe he did that! I mean, it was obvious that they knew each other from somewhere, but I never expected it to because of something dirty or anything. Ooh, I'm gonna kick his butt!" _'Qrow…I know that's it's not right to feel like this towards you. But I'm absolutely certain about this. I love you, more than anything.'_

"That's the spirit," Blake smiled. She stood up, her cat ears twitching, and she tilted her head as she spotted something on the floor. "Hey…what's that?" She crouched down to pick it up, and Ruby saw that it was a small dusty book with a note that had Qrow's handwriting. "It's called 'Silver Eyes'. Never heard of it. I think your uncle dropped it by mistake."

"I'll go deliver it." Ruby jumped up, swiping it and running out of the door. "I'll go check Professor Ozpin's office first!" She sprinted past JNPR's dorm, startling Jaune and Nora, and she waved at them. "Hi guys! Sorry I can't really talk; I got a delivery to make!" _'And I just want to see him again…even though he only left like five minutes ago.'_

The two members of Team JNPR nearly fell back, and the short haired girl heard Jaune yell at her. "Hey, slow down! You're going to be the reason they install speed cameras in the hallways!" Ruby laughed at the idea of Ozpin issuing traffic tickets; it seemed almost as ridiculous as the headmaster putting an alarm on a sandwich or his cookies. _'Nah…I'll just use my semblance to make up lost time.'_

Ruby began to use her semblance to make it a bit easier, disappearing into a cloud of rose petals and zooming throughout the school's hallways until she accidentally bumped headfirst into someone. "Waah!" _'Oops. I knew this was a bad idea.'_

"Are you okay kiddo?" a wonderfully familiar voice asked.

Ruby got up to see she had run into Qrow, and she nodded quickly, her silver eyes wide. "Y-yeah! I just found a book you dropped in our dorm and tried to deliver it…" ' _I…I can't find the words. Even though it's just the two of us in this hall.'_

She handed him the book nervously, her heart threatening to pound out of her chest, and her uncle took it with a slow breath. "Thanks. You saved me a bit of a tongue lashing from Oz." He gently patted her head, and Ruby closed her eyes to silently enjoy the feeling of his callused hands. "Next time, try not to run us both over, alright? I'm a little sore as it is."

"M-mmhm…"

Ruby basked in the moment for a bit longer before Qrow helped her to her feet. "Up you get, you great lump. You're really starting to grow, you know that?"

"Well, I have been drinking milk…"

"I don't mean physically, though you've certainly done that. I meant mentally. Being a team's leader means you have a lot of responsibility. And you've coped with it well, even though you're the youngest in the school. I'm proud of you, Ruby."

"T-thank you…" Ruby's face heated up, and she looked down at the floor, shuffling her feet. Hearing Qrow give any type of praise meant the world to her, and she opened her mouth to say what she wanted to when Professor Ozpin stepped out of an elevator.

"Qrow. We need to talk for a few, please," he said calmly.

The huntsman nodded, and he brushed Ruby's hair one final time before he walked into the elevator with the headmaster. "See you around Rubes." The young leader sank to the ground happily as he left, and she smiled to herself as she looked up at the bright ceiling of the academy. _'I got a compliment from my favorite person…'_

"Today is a good day."


	2. Chapter 2

Qrow stepped out of the elevator and into Professor Ozpin's office, and the headmaster took a seat at his desk. "I see that your nieces are very happy to see you. Particularly young Miss Rose."

The huntsman leaned against one of the pillars in the office, his hand reaching into his pants pocket and pulling out the book. "I taught her how to fight. And here's that book you told me to get." _'It's a pity I couldn't ask her what she had said. But it's not like I'm going anywhere anytime soon.'_  
  
"Ah, thank you." Ozpin took it, and he placed it onto his desk before picking up a cup of coffee, taking a sip. "Does Ruby know what makes her special?"

Qrow shook his head, his hands folding behind his head. "As far as I know, she doesn't. I haven't said a thing about it." _'Silver eyes are incredibly rare. She really is like you, Summer.'  
_  
"She reminds you of her, doesn't she?" Ozpin whispered quietly. That struck a little too close to home for his liking.

Qrow looked away, his hands sliding into his pockets. "Yeah…a little too much. It's my fault that Summer died." _'I told her my semblance would get her killed. Yet she refused to listen, and it took her life. If I had tried harder to stop her…she would still be alive, and Ruby would have her mother.'_ "I should've stopped her."  
  
Ozpin shook his head, his eyes sad. "It wasn't your fault that you were given the power of misfortune. And you knew Summer better than anyone; once she made up her mind, there was no stopping her. I seem to recall you and Taiyang being victims of one of her April Fool's Day pranks, despite your sister trying to stop her."  
  
Qrow scoffed at the mention of Raven, reaching into his pocket for his flask. To his relief, it was still mostly full of his whiskey, and he pulled it out to take a swig. "Right…that might've been the only time she was there for Tai after their little one-night stand." _'Unbelievable, sis. You disappear for years, and can't even bother sending one message to your own daughter apart from ordering me to tell her that she won't get help from you again. Really great parenting…it's a marvel that Yang didn't drive herself crazy looking all over Remnant for you.'_  
  
"Is that what that noise was? I thought a pair of Beowolves had gotten loose from Peter's class and were running rampant throughout the school. I even sent out a search team to look for them."  
  
"Real funny, Oz…" Qrow grumbled, unscrewing the cap and beginning to drink. The wonderfully familiar taste of the whiskey flowed over his tongue, and after a few solid chugs, he put the cap back on it. _'Her and Tai are the main reason I'm an alcoholic. Plus it makes fights with Winter that much more fun.'_ The black-haired huntsman could feel a tantalizing buzz begin to grow, and he placed the flask back in his pocket as he watched one of General Ironwood's ships fly past the tower. "You know, he's making you look like a fool."  
  
"His heart's in the right place," Ozpin lightly reprimanded, taking a sip of coffee.

Qrow let out a scoff, shaking his head. "I'm surprised that thick metal-headed idiot even has a heart. So…have you chosen your guardian yet?" He almost wished Winter was still around; nothing pissed her off more than hearing Qrow talk bad about her boss in front of her. _'Pity. She's funny when she gets mad. It's probably the best form of comedy in Remnant. One could make a stand-up out of it.'_

The headmaster spun his chair around, and he adjusted his small glasses. "Maidens choose themselves. I simply believe I've found the right candidate. Ever since the night I met her, I had a good feeling it would be her."

Qrow raised an eyebrow, and he could feel his pulse quicken a bit. "You're not talking about—"

"I can assure you, it is not Miss Rose. There hasn't been a silver-eyed maiden in a long time, Ozpin reassured.

Qrow sighed in relief, and he ran a hand through his messy black hair. "Thank Oum for that…" _'The last thing I want is for Ruby to get involved in something this dangerous. She's too much like Summer…'_

"You really care for her, don't you?"

"…I have no choice. But I still would, even if Summer were still alive."

"I'm starting you think you have a niece complex."

"Shut up, Oz…" Qrow grumbled at the slight teasing in the headmaster's tone. He was incredibly protective of his youngest niece, and he had saved her at various times of her life. But for the headmaster to try and poke at him possibly being involved in an intimate relationship with Ruby did invoke some irritation and confusion. _'You're. Her. Damn. Uncle. Even if you're not exactly blood, she's too young. No matter how much she reminds you of her, Ruby isn't Summer, and won't ever be._ ' "Don't start making jokes about that; it ain't funny."

"…don't tell me you actually…?"

"I'm not even going to answer that…"

Ozpin shrugged his shoulders, and took another sip of coffee. "I wouldn't blame you if you did. You certainly are closer than normal."

Qrow sucked his teeth in irritation, his red eyes narrowing. "Just drop it…I'd rather not talk about it right now." His scroll vibrated, and he reached into his back pocket to see it was just alerting him that the second round of the Vytal Festival was starting up. _'So, Yang and Winter's sister are up against two of Ironwood's kids. I should start placing bets on Yang getting furious halfway through.'_

Ozpin slowly blinked, and he folded his hands, giving him a knowing look. "You know…I'm sure Ruby loves you more than you think, too; she's always at her happiest when either talking about or around you in my eyes. Have you thought of having a talk about this with her?" The black-haired huntsman tried to give him a glare, but he couldn't ignore that the headmaster had a bit of a point. He was closer with Ruby than he was with Yang, and for awhile he thought it was nothing more than a result of the times he saved her from mortal danger.

But watching her develop into someone eerily similar to her mother stirred up emotions that he had thought were long squandered. 'No. Listen, you drunken idiot; you are her uncle. And I seriously doubt Rubes feels this way about me; Oz has to be pulling my damn leg.' Qrow took another few chugs of his whiskey, stumbling slightly, and he slicked his hair back before drunkenly meeting Ozpin's gaze. "I honestly can't believe you. You, the headmaster of Beacon Academy and protector of the world and the maidens, are seriously telling me to consider having a talk with my youngest niece about having romantic feelings towards me. What the hell have you been drinking? Because I want some; I could use it to soothe the headache this crap is starting to cause." _'Sheesh…and I thought dealing with Winter's father after I slept with her was a handful. That was nothing compared to this.'_

"Qrow…" Ozpin sighed, rubbing his temples. "Just…have a damn talk with her, for Oum's sake. You've always been cynical and borderline self-deprecating ever since Raven's problems tore your team to pieces. And being there when Summer died doesn't help. But I've watched how you two behave around each other, and you aren't as bad-tempered."  
  
Qrow felt a headache grow in his head, pulsing and throbbing, and he rested his head in his hands. "You know, this is causing probably the biggest headache in my life." _'He's got a point; whenever I'm around Ruby, I'm not being a drunken moron. I thought it was just a self-conscious thing to not be overly wasted around a young girl. Geez…talk about 'Uncle of the Year' awards being handed out.'  
_  
The huntsman started to walk towards the elevator when it pinged, and out came a gust of incredibly frosty air. "Oh…hey Winter." _'Ah crap. I thought she had gone back to Atlas. So much for hoping her little sister wouldn't have told her the story in person.'_   
  
The eldest of the Schnee daughters was breathing furiously, her blue eyes burning in anger. "You…you are so dead, you despicable dirty old man."  
  
"What did I do?" Qrow asked innocently, trying hard not to smirk at Winter's fury. His exposed lower arms were beginning to get goosebumps from the now frigid temperature of the office, and he heard the headmaster of Beacon sigh in exasperation. He too had seen the way they fight like a married couple, and he tapped the floor with his cane.  
  
"Qrow…what did you do this time?" he asked rhetorically.  
  
"This…idiot told my little sister how he…how he slept with me!" Winter hissed angrily, pointing her sword at the drunken huntsman. "Now if you'll excuse me, I think I need to cut someone's tongue out!"   
  
Qrow stumbled, and Winter's sword missed his head by inches. "Whoa, take it easy Ice Queen. I left out all the good juicy details. Like how you were pretty much begging for me after I went—"  
  
"QROW!" Winter shrieked, her face red from both embarrassment and anger. A spinning glyph appeared in front of her, and the only that kept her from summoning an incredibly angry Beowolf was Ozpin letting out a cough.   
  
"Excuse me, Miss Schnee, but I would greatly appreciate it if you could kindly refrain from attempting to cause serious bodily harm to Mr. Branwen in my office," he requested politely but with underlying sarcasm hidden underneath it. "These carpets are…rather expensive and quite difficult to get blood and other bodily fluids out of."  
  
Winter growled in irritation, but she lowered her weapon nonetheless. Qrow laughed at her reaction, and he cast a sly glance at Ozpin. "How do you know that one, Oz? Had a little fun with Glynda one night and made a mess that took all day to clean?" _'Ah, I remember the days when me and Tai thought she was the hot smart girl in class and had a bit of a naughty side. Good times…good times.'_  
  
Ozpin narrowed his eyes, and it looked for a moment that he was fighting the temptation to rap the huntsman on the head with his cane. "Okay, now I don't want to talk about it. Winter, what is it that you want? Apart from an opportunity to cut Qrow's tongue out and stick him inside an icebox."  
  
"Already been in her icebox, Oz."  
  
"QROW!"  
  
"Oh please, you enjoy it Ice Queen…" Qrow muttered, smirking at the embarrassed woman. "Remember the time we got a noise complaint in Atlas? Schnee Family Gardens, if my memory is correct." _'Too much fun…way too much fun. It's a good thing Ruby doesn't see just how bad of a love/hate relationship Winter and I have with each other. It was the complete opposite with Summer.'_ For him, there almost nothing funnier than watching the Ice Queen get riled up and try to cause some serious damage to his person.  
  
"That does it. The next time you—"  
  
"Winter. Please, stop this bickering…" Ozpin sighed. "It's too early in the morning for this. Now what is it you want?" Winter wrenched her burning blue gaze away from the huntsman to face the headmaster, standing stiff with her back straight. "General Ironwood will be approximately thirty minutes late to your meeting. His interrogation of Roman Torchwick…isn't going exactly as he planned. The idiot keeps telling him that he was the one behind the Grimm attack on Vale."  
  
"He could've picked a cuter errand girl," Qrow grumbled as his red eyes raked her frame, draining his flask in two seconds. "And one with a better attitude." _'Seriously…why are all the good-looking girls from Atlas completely stuck-up and have bad tempers? I know the place is cold and all, but come on.'_ He shook his flask in disapproval, annoyed that it was now empty and needing a good refill. _'I need some more whiskey. Dammit, I knew I should've brought my stash from home with me.'_  
  
"Shut up, you dirty old man."  
  
"Who are you calling old?"  
  
"Thank you, Winter," Ozpin said gratefully, ignoring the little love-spat and pushing his glasses up. "I'll keep his coffee warm. You may go." Winter turned around, casting a glare at her former multi-night stand, and walked into the elevator. After it descended, Ozpin rested his head in his hands, his shoulders shaking with laughter. "You've already been in her icebox…damn. That's just 'cold'."  
  
"Boo…" Qrow chuckled back, stumbling and throwing his empty flask at him. It soared haphazardly through the air, and the headmaster snagged it.  
  
He spun it around in his hand before placing it down on his desk. "I might have something for you to fill this with. That is, if you're done chucking things at me."  
  
"Then stop saying crappy puns. It's bad enough that Yang says them on a daily basis," the red-eyed man returned. "And what's this mysterious substance that you're planning on filling my flask with? Whiskey? Jagermeister?" _'It would probably help if I drank something a little more expensive; the cheap garbage makes my head throb in the damn morning.'_  
  
"Scotch. Your favorite." Ozpin reached into a drawer and pulled out a bottle filled with Qrow's favorite kind of alcohol.   
  
The drunken huntsman recognized the emblem on the cap, and his hazy eyes gleamed. "Heh heh…the special stuff from Mistral, huh? How did you get your hands on it? I thought they attempted to have that stuff run out of the kingdom about a year ago." _'Perfect. I need something to take my mind off of some of this. I don't want to think about having feelings for Ruby in that way.'_  
  
"Leo kept a few bottles. He knows you pretty well."  
  
"Tell him I said thanks."  
  
"If you want to talk to Ruby before James comes up, you'll probably find her at the arena watching the fights," Ozpin said calmly, pouring the Scotch into the flask.   
  
Qrow took it, and as the aroma wafted up his nose, he had to fight the temptation to make a point of draining the entire thing in one go. "Not now. I need to get this figured out properly, okay?" _'It's better for her if I keep my distance. Otherwise…it'll be like with Summer all over again.'_  
  
Ozpin didn't say a word, and he just slowly blinked as Qrow slowly walked towards the elevator to go down to the bar. The huntsman turned to face the headmaster, his red eyes sullen. "Oz…not a word about this conversation to anyone. Are we clear?" Ozpin nodded quietly, taking a sip of his coffee and spinning his chair around to look out the window at the small fleet patrolling the sky.  
  
Qrow stepped inside, and as the doors slowly closed, he shook his head, his hand slamming against the cold metal. "Dammit…"  
  
"Of all the friggin' people of Remnant…"


	3. Chapter 3

Ruby helped Weiss walk over to the medical station, the borderline grouchy girl possibly suffering some burns after sacrificing herself to try and take out Flynt. "Come on Weiss, you're okay."

Weiss let out a cough, covered in ash from the mini volcanoes that were in the tournament floor, and she gave her partner an exasperated look through eyes laden with exhaustion. "Ruby…I sound horrible, and feel like crap. If I don't end up roasted like a duck at Thanksgiving, I'll be amazed."

The field medic was a nervous looking man with a strange purple device, and it had a neon green light on the tip. "Uh, hi…I'm Medical Officer DuFrane. But you can call me Doc. I'll check and see if you're okay."

He aimed his device at Weiss, and the white-haired girl backed up as it began to glow. "Wait, what in the name of Remnant is that thing!? That's not going to do anything weird to me, is it? Like give me radiation poisoning?"

"Oh, no, nothing like that," Doc laughed lightheartedly. "This thing is as harmless as a fly. All it can do is light up green. It takes quite a few years of training to tell the difference between the shades of green." He pointed it at himself, and it began to glow vibrantly. "Like this one shows sterilization. Wait…that causes sterilization. Ah well. It's not like I was planning on using it anyway, so no harm done. But yeah, it takes a lot of training to tell the difference. That's why doctors have to go to school for so long. Not that I'm actually a doctor."

"And that couldn't be more clear after witnessing what you did five seconds ago," Weiss grumbled. "Do they just let anyone take exams these days? Where are you even from, the moon?" Ruby bit back a laugh, covering her mouth at the white-haired girl's sarcasm and grumpiness. _'Oh my…is this a check-up or a roast?'_ She (and the rest of her team) had been on the receiving end of her partner's cynical sense of humor countless times over the last year, but she was impressed at how the medic took it.

"Actually, I'm from Vacuo," Doc replied. "I did take the MKAT, though."

"Wait, you passed the most rigorous exam known in Remnant?"

"Haha…not even close. I only passed the section where they asked if it was physically possible for a male, human or Faunus, to give birth to a creature that was only capable of saying 'Honk' or 'Blarg'," Doc laughed. "The obvious answer would be 'no', but I've seen some weird things in life. Particularly in certain families where they like to…well, sleep with each—"

"I think it would be a good idea to not continue that sentence," a dry, familiar, and slightly intoxicated voice grumbled from behind Ruby and Weiss. They jumped in surprise, and Ruby let out a cheer as she saw her favorite drunken uncle, while Weiss rolled her eyes.

"Uncle Qrow! What are you doing here?" _'Is it me…or is he less intoxicated when he's around me?'_

Qrow looked at the medic, and he snorted as he rubbed his eyes. "I'm looking for my favorite flask, which has since gone missing. I have a sneaking suspicion that someone stole it, particularly someone blonde, bad at jokes, and has a temper tantrum for a semblance. Does that ring any bells?"

Ruby laughed, knowing full well who he meant. "Hmm…I did see her and Blake running towards the airships to go back to the school after the last round. Maybe they have it?" _'Sis…did you really take his favorite flask? That's the one I had Dad buy him as a birthday gift this year!'_

Qrow rubbed his head with a grumble, his red eyes unamused. "I swear, that girl is starting to become an alcoholic. Ruby, she hasn't pressured you into following in those footsteps of hers, has she?"

The innocent member of Team RWBY shook her head, trying to repress a blush from surfacing on her cheeks as her uncle talked to her. "Mmm…no…" _'I couldn't possibly be a party girl like her.'_

"It wouldn't be the first thing she picked up from you, you dusty old birdman," Weiss grumbled, wiping a bit of ash from her cheek and looking at her ruined clothes in disgust. "Ugh! I'm going to have to send this back to Atlas to get these stains out!" It was no secret that Weiss was almost obsessed with high-end fashion, and that her current outfit was by far her favorite combat skirt. And as a result, high fashion came along with a certain disgust for any kind of stains that could possibly end up on the expensive clothing. _'She's got an addiction to that skirt.'_

"Who are you calling old?"

"You. You are a dirty old man who ought to be ashamed of himself for being intoxicated around teenagers," Ruby's partner returned dryly. "I imagine you're the one who tells Yang all kinds of crappy glory stories from his far away youth." Ruby held a hand over her hand to prevent from laughing too hard, and Qrow ignored the comment as they walked towards an airship to get back to Beacon. _'I wonder what she means about glory stories. Though I suppose Yang will tell me them eventually.'_

As she walked with her favorite uncle, the innocent member of Team RWBY had to repress the overwhelming urge to leap onto his back and make him give her a piggyback ride. Normally, he was almost always prepared for the inevitable attempt at an ambush, but this time, he had an almost distant look in his red eyes, as if he was deep in thought about something. His hands were in his pockets, and he was slouching as they boarded the airship. _'I wonder what's wrong with him.'_

' _It almost seems as though something's eating him from the inside.'_

* * *

Yang giggled as she passed the flask over to Blake, the cat Faunus looking at her drunken girlfriend in amusement. "You're pretty funny when drunk. And this stuff is pretty good. That dusty old crow you call an uncle has some good taste." Blake took a sip that turned into a gulp, and she passed it back. _'It's really good. It doesn't taste like rubbing alcohol.'_

The two had broken into the room Qrow was using for his stay in Beacon and stole his flask and a good majority of his liquor stash after the match with Neon and Flynt. And after maybe only three good chugs of the huntsman's whiskey, Yang was completely plastered and beginning to meow and purr like a cat who just consumed a bag of catnip. _'As much as I love you, you really have no tolerance. What kind of party girl are you?'_

Blake meanwhile was still able to function, despite feeling a powerful buzz beginning to grow. The only two people she could think of who get utterly wasted quicker than the blonde were Jaune and Ruby, mainly because they were both kind of dolts and would end up drunker than Qrow in under five minutes. _'Strong, but not as bad that sake my mother used to keep back in Menagerie. I remember when I attempted to drink with them on my fifteenth birthday and blacked out in less than ten minutes; I don't know how I made it to bed on my own.'_

"Meow meow~!" Yang drunkenly giggled, getting on all fours and crawling like a cat, pretending as though she was stalking a mouse. Blake rolled her eyes, and though she wanted to give her girlfriend a hard cuff on the head, the sight was pretty damn funny; the cat Faunus was incredibly tempted to pull out her scroll and record the events for later laughs and possible blackmail material. _'You know what…screw it. I'm recording this.'_

Blake reached her hand into her shorts to get her scroll when Yang suddenly tackled her playfully, taking her by surprise. "Waah! Yang!" She wound up on her back, and the blonde's hazy lilac eyes met her amber, filled with love. "Have I ever told you just how beautiful you are to me?"

Blake blushed, her hands sliding up Yang's toned long legs. "You have…though not when drunk." The thought of having a drunken make-out session with her girlfriend/partner wasn't something that crossed her mind, particularly as she didn't want to recall one of the many repressed memories of Adam taking advantage of her. But knowing that Yang wasn't him, and would never be him, the emo cat Faunus locked her arms around Yang's neck, pulling her in for a slow kiss. "I love you…so much." _'Whelp…there goes trying to record her meowing.'_

"I love you too, Blakey~," the blonde slurred, kissing back and trying to shake her way out of her shorts. With a good amount of wriggling, Yang managed to discard them, and she tossed them over her shoulder haphazardly.

The black clothing landed on her girlfriend's bed, and to no surprise to Blake, she was wearing bright yellow panties with a vibrantly burning sun embroidered on them. "You…are unbelievable…" _'Even her underwear has that pattern. So terrible.'_

"I burn only for you~," Yang purred drunkenly, her lips feverishly sucking on Blake's neck. The cat Faunus let out a soft moan of pleasure as her girlfriend sucked on the tender skin, and her body warmed up as she felt Yang's teeth gently graze against it. "A-ahhh…Yang…" She knew she would end up with hickeys on her neck the next day and would probably receive jabs from Weiss, but she didn't care. Right now, she was willing to take those jabs to be romantic with her fiery blonde girlfriend before the rest of her team showed up and ruined the moment.

Yang's lips left her neck, and she started to rub against Blake with a needy purr. "I want you…so much…" Blake blushed, and she went to give her a loving kiss when her cat ears caught the sound of their teammates' voices, along with Qrow's. _'Uh oh. It figures that when we're right about to have fun, they would come along. Dammit.'_

She opened her mouth to warn her blonde girlfriend about the incoming trouble when Yang kissed her passionately, her tongue sliding into the cat Faunus's open mouth. The sudden entry caught her completely off-guard, and she let out a muffled moan of surprise as the door to their dorm burst open, and in the doorway stood Weiss, Ruby, and the drunken birdman Yang and Ruby called an uncle. _'Ah…crap. This is beyond awkward.'_

Qrow let out a sigh, though the look in his slightly intoxicated eyes suggested that inside he was laughing like a lunatic. "So, this is what I find when I go looking for my flask. My niece is half-naked and drunkenly trying to make out with her emo cat girlfriend. Just what I needed."

Weiss was shaking her head in disapproval, covering Ruby's eyes with her hands, and her unamused stare met Blake's. "Real mature…you two are unbelievable."

The cat Faunus blushed, trying to push Yang off of her to no avail, and mouthed out to the grouchy heiress. 'Help me!' _'Dammit. I knew this would happen. I just knew it.'_ Qrow scoffed as he stumbled into the room, plucking his flask from the floor and shaking his head when he found out it was empty thanks to the two girls. "Yang, you and I are going to have a little talk when you sober up. But for now, I have only four words: stop stealing my whiskey."

"Mreow mreow?" Yang looked up drunkenly, and Blake took the opportunity to push the blonde off of her.

"You know, that other cat was right; you are top heavy." Blake was probably the only one who was able to get away with making comments about Yang's large bust, and her intoxicated girlfriend let out a meow of protest as she fell on her back.

"My bigs aren't boob."

Ruby managed to peel Weiss's hands off of her eyes, and she looked at her uncle with a hint of red on her cheeks. "Um, Uncle Qrow…? I, um…"She seemed to lose her tongue for a second, and Qrow gave her shoulder a borderline fatherly squeeze.

"Don't worry kiddo. Your sister will be fine soon."

"No, it's not that!" Ruby's face was red with embarrassment, and Blake's ears twitched under her bow; she had kept her mouth shut about how Ruby felt towards her drunken bird of an uncle from the rest of her team, and had a strange feeling in the knot of her stomach. _'Ruby, time and place. Now isn't the best time, and right in front of your team really isn't the place. Please, don't do anything really dumb…'_

Qrow's brow tweaked in curiosity, and he tilted his head in confusion when the voice of their headmaster reached them. "Qrow, if you mind, General Ironwood and Glynda are coming soon for our meeting; we don't need you being late."

The black-haired huntsman let out a sigh, and he gently messed up Ruby's hair before walking out of their dorm, giving Blake an amused wink that basically said, 'Welcome to the family.' "Yeah, yeah…I'll be right there. Catch you kids later."

Qrow left to go with Ozpin, and Ruby started to look disappointed when Weiss let out a frustrated noise, stalking over towards the cat Faunus. "Okay, you two have some explaining to do!"

"…um, Weiss?"

"What?"

"Take a shower; you look utterly ridiculous covered in ash," Blake muttered. She caught Ruby's silver gaze, and she gave a slight shake of the head. _'Don't worry…there'll be another time to talk to him. I seriously doubt he's going to be in a hurry to leave this place, with both of his nieces here.'_

' _He has the same look in his eyes, too. I wonder if he feels the same.'_


	4. Chapter 4

Qrow leaned against one of the many pillars in Ozpin's office, keeping an eye on the young redheaded woman talking to the headmaster. She was a member of the sister team to Team RWBY, JNPR, and the lucky member to be sent to the one-on-one finals of the Vytal Festival. _'Don't know why, but I really don't like this crap. Something feels off.'_ The huntsman would've loved to be able to sit there, chug his whiskey, and get drunk without worry. But, Ozpin pretty much forbade him from getting drunk in front of an underage girl, saying that it would set a bad example. _'Thanks Oz. Forbidding me from enjoying a good drink. Just as bad as Taiyang.'_

He wanted to grab it anyway, mainly to prove a point that no one could come between him and his favorite liquor, but then Summer's face flashed in front of his eyes. Her silver gaze held a thinly veiled statement of, "Come on, you know better." Qrow sighed, and he took a glance over at the coffee machine by Ozpin's desk, which seemingly had an infinite amount of coffee in it at all times. The aroma of Vacuo Roast wafted towards his nostrils, and it was as if it were begging for someone to make a cup and drink it. _'…screw it. I might as well make a cup. Besides, Oz would blast me from the top of the tower if I tried to get drunk anyway.'_

He walked over to the coffee machine, grabbing a spare cup with the Vale Kingdom symbol on it. Qrow started to make his coffee the way Summer used to when they were still in school, with milk and four sugars, and he let a small smile grace his face as he remembered the countless nights of the four members of Team STRQ staying up late and telling stories as some sort of weird team bonding. Taiyang had come up with the idea at first, and it definitely helped Qrow be more open with the rest of his team. _'Heh heh…thanks, Tai.'_

He took a sip, and was relieved to find that it did help drive away the weariness he seemingly always had following him like a plague. Qrow started paying attention towards the conversation between the young redheaded girl and Ozpin, who noticed that the huntsman was actually listening. The headmaster folded his hands on his desk, glancing at Qrow as he leaned casually against the pillar of his office with a cup of coffee. "Well, Pyrrha Nikos, I'm sure that it's no surprise that you're going to the one-on-one finals of the Vytal Festival Tournament."

"Thank you, Professor," the redhead replied, bowing her head modestly. "But, I wouldn't have gotten this far without my teammates."   
  
Qrow scoffed before he took a swig of the hot liquid, shaking his head. "Personally, I think it's the other way around." He had paid quite a bit of attention towards the fights of the Festival, particularly those of the later rounds, and he could see that Pyrrha was easily the best member of Team JNPR and practically carried the team, even though her blonde partner was one hell of a strategist. _'That kid Jaune's not the best fighter, but it's easy to see why he's the leader of that team. He came up with some good strategies to win the double round.'_

Pyrrha looked behind her and stood up, surprise and curiosity in her green eyes. She hadn't noticed the huntsman's presence earlier, and she probably didn't know that he was the uncle of Ruby and Yang; the girls had a habit of not boasting about him being a huntsman. "I'm sorry, but I don't believe we've been introduced."

Qrow propped a foot up against the pillar he was leaning on, taking another sip of coffee. "The name's Qrow." _'I bet anything she thinks that my name is spelt exactly the same as the bird. Sheesh…I know I bring bad luck like a harbinger, but come on. What the hell were those idiots thinking of when they gave me my name?'_ He didn't like thinking about how he was raised by a bandit tribe in Anima, mainly because he saw them as nothing more than butchers and thieves and it made him think of his pain of a sister. _'I can't believe you went back to them, Raven. You tried to improve our image when we went to Beacon by insisting we leave it behind, and yet you dump Yang on Tai at the end of our fourth year to pillage and burn villages in Anima. Unbelievable.'_

"Qrow is a…trusted associate of mine," Ozpin reassured, giving the huntsman a stare through narrowed eyes as he observed him actually drinking something other than alcohol for once.   
  
Pyrrha turned back to the headmaster, her green gaze both curious and concerned. "Professor…why have you called me here?"

"Please, take a seat," Ozpin invited warmly. The young redhead sat down, and once she was in her seat, the headmaster folded his hands on his desk. "What's your favorite fairy tale?"

"Sir?"

"Fairy tales. Stories from your childhood. Surely you must remember some of them?"

"Oh, of course," Pyrrha murmured. "There's the tale of the two brothers, The Shallow Sea, and The Girl in the Tower." Knowing that the headmaster was going to mention the old legend about the Maidens, Qrow stopped paying as much attention to their conversation and started thinking more about his youngest niece. _'It's not right. Sheesh…as if I didn't have enough friggin' issues to deal with mentally. No, it's only natural that I'd want to keep Ruby safe after saving her Oum knows how many times. Surely that's it…it's only me being overprotective. Get those stupid and rather weird thoughts out of your head, you idiot.'_

' _We're not actually related.'_

' _She's Summer's daughter!'_

' _I was her partner.'_

' _That makes it worse.'_

' _What if she feels that way towards me?'_

' _Taiyang would try and have you buried alive.'_

' _And if I don't care?'_

' _He's your closest friend left alive!'_

The huntsman would've loved to have just waltzed out of Ozpin's office, descend the elevator, and go on to his favorite bar to try and banish any kind of thoughts about Ruby. But the headmaster needed him here, as much as Ozpin probably wanted him to drown his thoughts in liquor. _'I wonder if the Crow Bar is still open. Or if the Ice Queen is still in town. It's been awhile since I messed with her.'_

He had to repress a snicker, mainly to avoid breathing hot coffee up his nose. He thoroughly enjoyed purposely making the eldest Schnee daughter infuriated, and she would always try and aim multiple attacks at him while he stuck his tongue out to rub it in. Usually, their little love spats ended in the same fashion; him sleeping with her relentlessly until they were both hot, sweaty, and exhausted before repeating the process sometime later, whether it was by a day or a few hours. _'Never gets old. Wish the same could be said about me. I ain't getting any younger. Good thing Winter and I have quite the drive.'_

He was thirty-nine now, but the fact that he was so close to reaching the big four-zero was something he was a little sensitive about. It didn't help that Taiyang liked to rub in the fact that he was still fatherless, despite the many one-night stands he and Winter had over the years. Usually, Qrow would laugh along with him, as he had to admit, even he was surprised Winter hasn't been completely knocked up yet. But now, he wasn't sure if he could bring himself to laugh at it. _'Sheesh…if one had told me I'd be fatherless at forty when I was still in school, I would've laughed. But now this is getting ridiculous.'_

"Would you believe me if I told you that story has been around since I was a boy?"  
  
Ozpin's voice jerked Qrow's thoughts back to the conversation, and he slowly blinked as Pyrrha laughed lightheartedly. "You're not that old, Professor Ozpin."

"Well, would you believe me if I told you it was true?"

"I beg your pardon?"

Ozpin took a sip of coffee, adjusting his small glasses, and folded his hands. "What if I told you that there were four maidens in this world, capable of wielding incredible powers without Dust?"   
  
Pyrrha's green eyes flashed in confusion, and her words revealed it. "You mean…like their semblance?"

"Like magic," the headmaster corrected. The young redhead was silent, possibly from shock, and Qrow took it as his turn to speak. "Yep. First time hearing it is pretty crazy." It was almost two decades since he was first told of the story of the Four Maidens, when he first became a member of Ozpin's inner circle after Raven destroyed everything Team STRQ stood for. _'No one remembers that they're real, after this brotherhood removed them from the public eye a couple hundred years ago.'_

"You're serious?" Pyrrha finally asked.   
  
The headmaster leaned in closer, his eyes laden with sincerity. "Do I look like I'm joking?"

"…no. But, why are you telling me all of this?"

Ozpin shared a glance at Qrow, and the huntsman nodded, giving him the 'all-clear' signal. Even if it was protecting the world, the idea that they were possibly forcing a teenage girl, still in her first year of training no less, into becoming the Fall Maiden to guard Beacon still produced a twinge of guilt and resentment. _'Sometimes, I really hate this part of my job. Dealing with obnoxious students while hungover is a cakewalk compared to this crap.'_

"We're telling you, Pyrrha Nikos, because we believe you are next in line to receive the Fall Maiden's powers," Ozpin answered after a long breath that seemed to last an eternity. It couldn't have lasted longer than a few seconds, but for Qrow, he could've sworn he felt the stubble along his jaw growing gray. _'Sheesh…could this take any longer?'_

"We?"   
  
As soon as the question left the young redhead's mouth, the door to the elevator pinged open, and General Ironwood and Glynda Goodwitch stepped out, the blonde disciplinarian adjusting her glasses silently while the General apologized. "Sorry we're late."

Upon seeing the two additions to the meeting, Pyrrha started to show signs of worry and fear. "Wait, what is this!? Who are you?"   
  
Qrow opened his mouth to explain, but Glynda beat him to it, giving him a sharp glare when she saw the flask in his back pocket. "You know who we are. We're the same teachers and headmasters you met when you arrived at Beacon, except we have a little…part time job, as well." The blonde clearly disapproved of the huntsman even carrying the damn thing on his person in the company of an underage girl, and it was no surprise to her where Yang got her love for liquor from. _'All I did was point her in the direction of that idiot Junior. I never told her to get a drink while she was at it. It's bad enough Taiyang was mad at me for that.'_

"We're the protectors of Remnant, and we need your help," Ironwood finished, picking up where Glynda left off. Pyrrha's facial expression still had worry plastered over it, but the reassuring yet serious tone of the disciplinarian seemed to soothe her as she walked over to her and the General with Ozpin.  
  
She was silent as she stepped into the elevator, and Ozpin noticed that Qrow was hanging back. "Qrow, are you not coming?"

"I'll be down in a minute. Just need a moment," the huntsman replied with a grumble. The headmaster had kept his word on keeping his mouth shut about Qrow's possible feelings towards his youngest niece, and neither brought the topic up during the incredibly dull meetings that usually ended with Qrow calling Ironwood a metal-headed idiot and snickering at the many innuendos his last name provided. _'Is it actually intimate? Or is it just me being an over-protective self-proclaimed Uncle of the Year? I don't like it, either way. Dammit Ruby. Why you, of all the people in Remnant?'_

The Crow Bar was certainly going to need to replenish its stock of whiskey before the day was done. He just had to make sure he didn't have his scroll on him, in case he decided to drunk-dial Winter at four in the morning.


End file.
